Data storage systems are arrangements of hardware and software that include storage processors coupled to arrays of non-volatile storage devices. In typical operation, storage processors service storage requests that arrive from client machines. The storage requests specify files or other data elements to be written, read, created, or deleted, for example. The storage processors run software that manages incoming storage requests and performs various data processing tasks to organize and secure the data stored on the non-volatile storage devices.
Data storage systems commonly run application programs to support their operations. For example, a data storage system may run a logging program to manage a transaction log or may run applications to support replication or other data services. Many such application programs require support files to store data used by the applications to support their activities. The data storage systems may store the support files in dedicated spaces, such as in support file systems or in other structures within the non-volatile storage devices.